Method of making a mask



Dec. 29, 1959 w. LE MAY METHOD OF MAKING A MASK Filed April 23,. 1954 FIG. I

FIG. 4

FIG. 3

INVENTOR. WILLIAM E. LEMHY United States Patent METHOD OF MAKING A MASK William E. Le May, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to Ohio Sealer and Chemical Corporation, Brookville, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 23, 1954, Serial No. 425,107

3 Claims. (Cl. 154-110) This invention relates to masks and has particular although not limited reference to masking devices temporarily mounted on an automobile body to shield or protect one part of the body while another part is being painted.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction as well as the method of manufacture and mode of use of masks as herein disclosed, whereby such masks may not only be economically manufactured, but will be more efficient and satisfactory in use, adaptable to a wide variety of applications, and be unlikely to get out of usable condition.

An object of the invention is to present an article for masking, and a method of making such article, offering new and unexpected advantages in the art.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to provide a mask which can be simply and inexpensively produced and which yet affords a close fit even with intricately contoured body parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mask achieving in effect a custom fit with respect to one part and reusable in connection with the same or like parts.

Still another object of the invention is to obviate the use of dies, molds or the like in manufacture of the mask.

A still further object of the invention is to utilize materials and a principle of construction resulting in a mask which will withstand a wide range of temperatures and which will not be adversely affected by the various chemicals, solvents and cleaners used in painting proc-- esses.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mask possesssing the advantageous features, the inherent meritorious characteristics and the mode of manufacture herein mentioned.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation as hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein is found the preferred but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of an automobile having a mask installed thereon in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of the mask alone, in perspective; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in cross section taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and made partly diagrammatic for illustrative purposes.

Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 3 but shows a slightly different construction employing a heat resistant liner.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

'alkalis and acids.

2,919,218 Patented Dec. 29, 1959 Referring to the drawings, an automobile 10 is shown in Fig. 1 having a mask 11 in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention installed on the upper part of the body. The arrangement shown is one permitting the lower part of the body to be painted while the upper part is concealed and protected. The mask 11 fits closely over the surface contours of the body top and its lower edge extends in intimate contacting relation to the body.

According to one manner of making the mask 11, a cloth 12 (Fig. 3) made of fibres, for example glass fibers, is laid over the top of the automobile body and is then arranged to conform to the contours of the body. A liquid :binder 13 then is applied to the cloth, as by spraying, which impregnates and coats the fabric material. As such binder dries, the article so formed stiffens to a rigid or semi-rigid state. It may, in this condition be removed from the automobile for appropriate trimming andthen if desired, replaced for use. Similarly, when the mask has served its purpose in connection with the one automobile it may be removed, cleaned and reused on other automobiles of the same body style. While the mask may be considered as being rigid or semi-rigid its construction permits of some flexing. Thus a mask made on one part may be made to fit other parts of the same design, even though slight dimensional variations occur from part to part.

The aforementioned liquid binder may be a plastic resinous material, such as a polyester or epoxy resin or vinyl plastic, or similar material. The combination of such a binder or-stiffener with glass fibres results in an article which will withstand a wide range of temperatures, and is highly resistant to chemicals, solvents, It is dimensionally quite stable and yet possessed of some inherent resilience. Further it may be cleaned by any conventional method and material.

Depending on the type of material used and the use to which the mask is put, after the impregnating of the fibre the mask may be baked or air dried to the desired degree of rigidity.

According to an alternative form of the invention, the basic fibres of which the article is made may be suspended in a temporary binder and applied to the part by painting or spraying. Thereafter the setting or stiffening binder is applied, as before, and with the results as above described.

Also in installations wherein it is possible to draw a vacuum through the part to be overlaid by the mask, loose fibres may be distributed over the part and held in place by air pressure differential pending application of the binder.

As shown in Fig. 4, a liner 14 may be incorporated in the mask as an integral part thereof. As an example of the material used, aluminum foil has been found satisfactory since it provides both an insulating strata and also a diffusing strata for the heat employed in the baking'or curing of the paint applied to the areas surrounding the mask 11. The top of the automobile having been painted, prior to the application of the mask 11 thereto preparatory to the painting of the body, it is desirable to protect the painted top from the extreme heat employed to bake or cure the body paint. The mask 11, having been used first as a mask, is left on the top while the body passes through the bake oven the liner 14 protecting the previously painted top from the effects of the oven. The previously painted top therefore retains its original lustre and is not subjected to premature oxidation.

In certain applications, for example where the top is of a different material than the body, the ability of the liner to act as a diffuser or conductor of heat is of considerable advantage. In other applications, however, for example where the top and body are of the same material, it is not necessary to difiuse the heat but only necessary to insulate or protect the previously painted top. In the first instance metal foil or similar material is highly desirable for the liner. In the latter instance an insulating liner is all that is necessary, although the foil liner may be used.

In fabricating the lined type of mask, the liner 14 of whatever material is used is first placed upon the part for which the mask is made. The covering 12 is then placed thereon and both the liner 14 and covering 12 fitted to the particular body contour. The binder 13 is then applied and the mask finished as previously set forth above.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of part witho utdeparting from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statutes the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into effect.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A method of making a mask, including the steps of covering a part to be protected with a heat deflecting stratum, cov'eringsaid stratum with a fibrous cloth, arranging said stratum and cloth to conform to the coittours of said part, and impregnating said assembly while it is so arranged with an externally applied liquid stiffening agent.

2. A method of making a mask, including the steps of covering a part to be protected with a sheet of metallic foil, covering the sheet of foil with a fibrous cloth, arranging said foil and cloth to conform to the contours of said part, impregnating and binding said assembly of foil and cloth while so arranged with a resinous binder, and drying the impregnated and bound assembly until it assumes a desired degree of rigidity.

3. A method of making a paint or spray mask including the steps of superposing plies of heat diffusing material and fibrous cloth, shaping said superposed plies on the part or portion of a surface to be masked, externally applying a resinous material to said plies as formed in place and drying in place to the desired degree of rigidity required of the mask.

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,408,871 Enos Mar. 7, 1922 1,701,627 Pearsall Feb. 12, 1929 2,032,791 Copeman June 8, 1937 2,359,975 Duggan Oct. 10, 1944 2,698,991 Mesick Jan. 11, 1955 2,745,173 Janos May 15, 1956 2,746,049 Hudson May 22, 1956 OTHER REFERENCES American Machinist, September 30, 1943, pp. 75, 76 and 77, article Ford Masks Engine Parts on a Conveyor. 

1. A METHOD OF MAKING A MASK, INCLUDING THE STEPS OF COVERING A PART TO BE PROTECTED WITH A HEAT DEFLECTING STRATUM, COVERING SAID STRATUM WITH A FIBROUS CLOTH, ARRANGING SAID STRATUM AND CLOTH TO CONFORM TO THE CONTOURS OF SAID PART, AND IMPREGNATING SAID ASSEMBLY WHILE 